Gearing.



R. H. ROSENBERG.

GEARING.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14. 1912.

1,164,871. Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- Inventor mlzzesses 152M. 12/?056/2687 ,6 W Eat WM 2 W fay;

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60-.WASHINOTON. D. c.

R. H. ROSENBERG.

GEARING.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, 1912.

1,164,871. Patented Dec. 21, 1915;

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cp.,wAsH|Nn'r0N, n. c.

R. H. ROSENBERG.

GEARING.

' APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14. 1912. 1,164,871. Patented Dec.21,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

NT nice.

RALPH H. ROSENBERG, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE KINNEAR MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

GEABING.

Specification of Letters Patent. patentgd D 21 1915 Application filed February 14, 1912. Serial No. 677,556.

new and useful Improvements in Gearing,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in automobiles and has particular reference to improvements in hollow or driving axles for such vehicles.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved driving axle for automobiles which shall be convenient to assemble and disassemble; which shall be of comparatively light weight and yet have ample strength for carrying the loads and resisting the strains to which such devices are subject.

A further object of my invention is to pro vide an improved housing for the driving axle and differential gearing so that during the manufacture and testing of the device the gearing can be fully inspected While running under full load.

A further object of my invention is to provide a hollow driving axle and a worm gear differential mechanism housed therein, the axle being so constructed that parts thereof may be removed and the gearing remain properly supported in its working bearings whereby the operation of the worm and gear is open to full view while being tested. I 1

A further object of my invention is to provide a differential housing for a driving axle so divided that the gearing of the differential can be operated and tested in full view and relative positions and in their normal bearings, and thereafter the removed part can be assembled therewith to form a completely closed housing and with assurance that the gears will then be in the exact relative relations under which they were tested.

My invention consists in a hollow driving axle consisting of parts so associated and assembled that the above and other objects are attained, and all as herein described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one end of supported at such times in proper an automobile equipped with an axle embodying my invention Fig. 2 is an enlarged central longitudinal sectional view of the axle on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse central sectional view of the axle substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4: is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 3, but showing the center part of the casing removed; Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2, the center portion of the casing being removed; and Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a modified form of axle.

I have chosen to illustrate my invention as embodied in a rear axle provided with a worm gear differential transmission, but it will be evident that my invention is also applicable to axles for use as front driving axles and for axles which are provided with other forms of difierential gearing, and I, therefore, do not wish my invention limited to this specific form and use of axle.

In said drawings 2 represents the automobile frame, which consists of the side bars 33 and cross bars &.

5 refers to the axle generally and the axle, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, is divided longitudinally into three parts, the middle or center part 6 and an outer part 7 arranged at each end. These three parts are associated in longitudinal alinenient andthe end parts are secured to the outer ends of the .middle part bymeans of flanges 8 and 8 provided upon their respective adjacent ends. Each of the end members 7 is provided with an annular flange or dowel 8 which fits within the adjacent end of the middle part 6 and these parts are thereby maintained inproper relative position. The outer ends of the axle are provided with spring pads 9 which receive the springs 10 and the. springs are securedby the spring bolts 11. The springs illustrated are hal elliptical and are .pivotally connected to the side bars 3 of the automobile at their ends. The axle is hollow, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and driving shafts 12 extend outwardly from the center of the axle through the parts thereof, and are connected to and serve to drive the roadwheels 13. Radius lOdS'l4 are mounted upon the outer ends of the axle between the wheels and .the frame and are connected at their free ends with the side bars 3 of the automobile frame andserve to retain the axle against movement longi tudinally ofthe frame .of the automobile.

- flanges-,8 andadapt thismiddle portion of.

between these side portions and serves to connect them and complete the casing.

When the parts are assembled, as shown in I Figs. 2 and 3, they form a completely closed casing or housing for the differential mechanism 18 mounted therein, and with which the-shafts 12 are operatively connected at their inner-ends. The middle part ofthe section '16 is box-like in form, open upon two sides, and thesetwo open sides are adapted to be closed by the sections15 and 17 respectively. The box-like center'part of the middle section is extended, transversely at each end to formthe connecting portions 19 which are provided on their ends. with the the axle to be connected to the end parts 7.

Each side wall 20-of thercenter section is provided with an opening 21 through which the inner end of the shaft is adapted to be I inserted and this opening serves to guide the 1 inner end of the, shaft into its'pr'oper position when it is being inserted from the outer end of the axle into the differential gearing.

The gearing shown in the drawings, and whlch is the preferred form for association v with the hollow axle is a worm gear differ- 7 entialand comprisesa worm 21, as shown in the drawings, arranged in the upper part 2 thereof, anda worm wheel 22,v The differential is completed by means of opposed bevel wheels 23 rotatively mounted in alinement with the shafts 12 respectively and complementary bevel wheels 24 mounted in and carried by the wormwheel 22. .The opposed. bevel .wheels 23 are mounted in suitable. bearings'23, one at each side of the worm wheel22, and they are properly associated with the complementary bevel wheels 24 carried by the worm Wheel for transmitting power from the worm wheel to the shafts 12. ltwill be clear that the shafts 12 are positively driven from the worm Wheel through the medium of the bevel wheels and that when one shaft revolves slower than the worm wheel the opposite shaft will'revolve proportionately faster. The worm wheel itself is mounted upon or integral with a central hub bearing 25 andthishub bearing I extends at each side and is centrally mounted in the bevel gears '23, The bearings 23 p in which the bevel gears 23 are carried, and

which preferably comprise'ball bearings, are

mounted within rigid bearing pillars 26 which are formed integrally with and projest-inwardly fromthe sections 15 and 17 of the axle casing. These bearing pillars 26 are formed to meet upon the central plane ofthe axle and carry through bolts27 by means of'which the two sections 15j'and 17 and, 17 provide a hollow axle strength as the double truss thereby formed i are firmly and securely clamped together.

When the two parts are thuscla-mpe I 'gether they provide shoulders 28 against which the gears 23- contact'and the gears 23 are thus prevented from moving outward be- 7- yond their normal positions, and the gears 23"are provided with internal annularshoulders 29 against which the outer ends of the tion, and theworm wheel itself is'thereby held in its position. In the upperpart of each of the sectionsl5 and 17 are provided suitable bearings 31 for" the worm 21. These bearings 31 comprise both supporting earings 32 and thrustbearings 33 arranged I at each end of the worm, and the Worm is thereby properly supported and held against movement away from its normal position relatively tothe worm wheel ing'all directions. v

The upperpart of the casing isprovided with three. through bolts 34 which. extend through and bolt'the three sections 15,16 and 17 tightly and securely together. The

sections are further secured together. by a number of short bolts 35 distributed around and the center section 16. When the sections are assembled upon and with the differential gearing, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the casing is complete and tight except for the small clearance around the shafts at the holes 21, and the casing therefore forms an oil or grease tight casing for the differential gearing. It will be noted that the middle section 16 has, the form of a double truss andits functions are, not only to form part of the casing for the gearing, filling in the open space between the two side parts" 15 and 16 but it also serves as a connector between the'gear casing and the outer ends of the axle, thereby serving as a casing for the shafts 12. and also as a load-carrying member which connectsthe wheeled ends of the axlegtogether. Thecombinationof the center section with the side parts 15 is relatively deep at its middle portion and the parts 15 and 17 serve as struts'to stiffen and strengthen the walls ofthe truss member16."

In the manufacture of devices of this character and particularly in the manufacture of Worm gearing transmissions, it is very desirable that the'worm' gearing be capable of being operated for a considerable period-oftime with the worm andworm wheel in their proper relative positions,and

when they are thus being operated that theyshall be open to free inspection. These desirable features are inherent in my. improved axlefor,

as clearly shown in Figs of great I parts are assembled,

4: and 5, the center section 16 may be removed or, in other words, the parts 15 and 17 can be assembled upon and with the differential gearing without the center section 16, and when assembled in this condition the worm and the worm wheel are mounted in their regular bearings and are held in their normal positions relatively to each other and can be operated or tested in working conditionand in full view. When the as described, they are retained in position by the through bolts 27 which pass through the bearing pillars 26 and by the long bolts 34. These latter bolts being provided with pipe spacers or thimbles 36 which brace the upper parts of the two sections 15 and 17 apart and which, in a sense, take the place of or represent the portion of the middle section 16 which normally forms this part of the axle casing.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a slight modification of the axle 1n which the center section 6, instead of being provided with flanges to I be bolted or secured to separate end'sections is'provided with these end sections formed integrally therewith. This form of axle is particularly adapted for the lighter vehicles or trucks while the preferred form is more particularly adapted for heavy work. One of the advantageous features of the preferred form is that the whole middle part 6 of the axle carrying the worm gear differential can be removed from the truck without disconnecting the springs from the end sections, and therefore repairs can be more readily 1 accomplished particularly upon large and heavy trucks than could be efi'ected if the differential were not thus readily and easily removable. To thus remove the part 6 of the axle it is only necessary to withdraw the shafts 12 from the differential gearing,

remove the clamping bolts from the flanges 8 and then spring the end members 7 apart Copies of this patent may be obtained for sufficiently to free the center part 6 from the dowels 8.

As many modifications of my invention will readily suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, I do not limit or confine my invention to the specific structures herein shown and described.

Having thus described my. invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 'Patent:

1. In a driving axle for automobiles, the combination of a differential mechanism having laterally extending removable driving shafts, driving gearing for those shafts including a worm wheel and worm shaft, two opposed inclosing members containing bearings for the worm shaft, and a third inclosing member containing bearings for the differential mechanism, said last mentioned inclosing member formed to be removably interposed between the first mentioned inclosing members and means for securing said inclosing members together.

2. In a driving axle for automobiles, in combination, a differential mechanism having laterally extending removable driving shafts, driving gearing for those shafts including a worm wheel and worm shaft, two opposed inclosing members containing bearings for the worm shaft, and athird inclosing member formed to. be removably interposed between the first mentioned inclosing members and means for securing said inclosing members together to form a fluid tight housing for said differential mechanism and driving gearing.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 26 day of January, 1912, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RALPH H. ROSENBERG.

Witnesses:

ROBERT H. COCHRAN EDWARD H. MoCLoUD.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

